Chlorate explosive of the sprengel class.



N 0 Drawing.

GHLOBATE EXPLOSIVE- "SHE SPBIEJNGEL CLilSfia a rcare.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Ui annns WAIN, a subject oi the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 63 Bellevue street, North Sydney, in the State of New South Nales, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful 1rnprovements Relating to the Manufacture of Chlorate Explosives of the Sprengel Class, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates tothat class oi explosives in which a cartridge of chlorate of potassium (K610 is immersed in and saturated by a suitable fiuid, the resulting compound being capable of rapid combustion by detonation, though the solid and he; uid elements are themselves inexplodable separately.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved saturatin fluid which may be simply and economically compounded and from which free mineral acid is entirely absent, safety in storage being thereby insured without the necessity of alkaline washin 3 while the saturation of a cartridge of K616 with said fluid produces a compound of great explosive force.

The saturating fluid forming the subject of this invention is compounded of castoroil, raw linseed oil, petroleum. (or its iderivative kermene) crude or refined, and fuming nitric acid 'sp. g. 1.5 (HNO In compounding the fluid I take twenty (20) parts by measure of castor oil, twenty (20) parts of raw linseed oil, and three hundred and twenty (320) parts of petroleum (preferably but not necessarily refined). The castor oil and linseed oil are stirred into and dissolved by the petroleum, and the HNO is then added to the solution in a manner insuring even distribution, which effectsnitration of the dissolved organic oils, and a viscous precipitate results. On standing the said precipitate is gradually and almost totally re-absorbed in the petroleum, a slight dark colored deposit which is valueless in this process adhering to the vessel. The solution is then decanted or poured off and is ready for the saturation of the chlorate cartridge. l

In compounding this fluid as before stated it is essential that the quantity of HNO, shall be sufficient and no more than sufficient,

Specification oil Letters Patent.

= -L Patented Sept 18, 391% 1 Application filed March 15, 1915. Serial Ito. 15,582.

toefiectively nitrate the organic oils, so that no excess of acid is introduced to remain as free acid, and l have found that ten (10) parts of HNO added to the beforestated respective quantities of castor oil, linseed oil, and pctroleu1n,'wil.l e'il'ect the required. re sult.

The ire-absorption by the petroleum of the viscous precipitate may be visually detected, but I have found that twenty four hours is usually required for this purpose.

The fluid formed as the final product oi: the above described process has specific gravity of approximately .816, is transparent and of a brown color; its rate of difi'w sion approximates to that of petroleum (refined) and is double that of nitro-benzol.

The saturation of the cartridge of KGB}, the fluid produced as hereinbefore described, effected in known manner and the combustion of the product is brought shout by means of a detonator applied in accord.- ance with the general practice in this class of explosives.

'What I claim as my invention is 1. A saturating fluid for chlorate explo sives of the Sprengel class, said fluid being a brown transparent liquid having a specific gravity of approximately .816 and a rate of v difiusion of approximately double that oi nitro-benzol, said fiuid being formed by dissolving castor oil and raw linseed oil in pee troleum and treating the fuming nitric acid.

2. L saturating fluid for chlorate explosives of the clprengel class, said fluid being a brown transparent liquid having a specific. gravity of'apprcxiniately .816 and a rate of diffusion of approximately double that of ni tro-benzol, said fluid being formed by treating equal parts of castor oil and raw linseed oil with sufficient petroleum to dissolve thesaid organic oils, and treating the said solution with sufiicient nitric acid specific gravity 1.5 to completely nitrate said organic oils.

3. A saturating fluid for chlorateexplosives of the Sprengel class, said fluid being a brown transparent liquid having a specific gravity of approximately .816 an a rate difiusion of approximately double that of nitro-benzol said fluid being formed by compounding castor oil, raw linseed oil, pe-

said solution with troleum and fuming nitric acid specific gravity 1.5 in or about the following proper: tions 1- U Castor oil 20 parts by measure, l, Linseed oil 20 parish measure, Petroleum 320 perts'by measur Nitric acid 10 parts by measure 4. A saturating fluid for chlorate expl0- sires of the Sprengel class, said fluid being a brown transparent liquid having a specific gravity of approximately .816 and a rate of difl'usion of epproximatel'y double that of n more than sufiieiemi acid, to eempletely nitrate the orgenic oils so that no ezicess is l x iredi sed i0 "rem in r cid- ,5 process of manufacturing a saturating fluid for explosives of the Sprengel class, eonsisting of dissolving in petroleum equal s of castor oil and raw linseed oil, nigh said organic oils by fuming niuric acid 5;), g, 1.5 added to the solution, and allowing the esultan preoipitene to" be mhrown'down and subsequently mmbsorbed by the petroleum, as herein described.

Signed at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, thifii filfit day of February, 1915. WILLIAM L/HABLES W Witnesses;

CHAS. HATTON, 7M. NEWTON. 

